[To save your kin, the first thing you must do is locate their whereabouts]
[If you actively go looking for them, I believe they'll lead you straight into their hideout. But once you're inside, what awaits you is a bloody massacre]
[Rescuing them won't be easy. You might even get yourself killed in the process]
"..."
Wiene bit her lip. She knew those people had surely set countless traps.
[Their numbers are far greater than you imagine]
[They've been hiding well all this time, which is how they've managed to stay hidden in the Dungeon without revealing themselves. But precisely because they've done such a good job hiding, it puts you at an even greater disadvantage]
[The enemy lurks in the shadows, while you're exposed in the light. How do you expect to fight them like that]
"Even so, I still want to save them."
Wiene could tell these words were meant as a warning, but just thinking about how the kin she had only just gotten to know were now captured and being tortured... she couldn't stand it.
Bell wasn't surprised by her reaction. Reaching out to him like this likely meant she had already made up her mind.
[Looks like you really are prepared]
[Orario's been relatively quiet lately, so I'll go with you. In return, you need to be ready as well]
[You'll act as bait to lure those guys out. Otherwise, trying to find a rat's nest in a Dungeon this massive would be nearly impossible]
Starting from the middle floors, the Dungeon's internal space was already enormous. From the 30th floor onward, it was practically a labyrinthine city.
Given how vast it became after the 30th floor, the lower levels were naturally even larger than Orario itself—how else could they accommodate so many monsters and floor bosses towering dozens of stories tall?
Without knowing the exact location of the man-made maze, it would take a tremendous effort to find such a hidden area within the Dungeon.
That's why Bell's first idea wasn't to search for it bit by bit, but to force the rats to show themselves.
"I understand."
Wiene didn't hesitate upon hearing she would be used as bait. This was her choice.
[Then be mentally prepared. I'll contact you when I'm ready]
[Until then, try to keep your anxiety in check]
"Okay."
The call ended.
The knot in Wiene's chest slowly began to ease.
She wasn't sure why, but that person's words always seemed to calm her unease.
Even though she was still worried about her captured kin, what she needed now was patience—and to wait.
...
After the call ended, Bell didn't leave the room. Instead, he shifted his gaze to Loki, who was sitting on the edge of the sofa.
"So, that's how it is, Loki-sama."
"..."
Loki's eyes widened. She had barely enjoyed a few days of peace, and now she was being dragged into a conflict with the Evilus again.
"Are those bastards out of their minds?"
Just the thought of her rare vacation being disrupted was enough to almost make her snap.
Hestia rolled her eyes.
"Don't you already know they're crazy?"
Fair enough!
Loki instantly deflated. Those lunatics really were unhinged—there was definitely something wrong with their heads.
After taking a moment to collect herself, Loki couldn't help but mutter internally:
'They've lost it. Why the hell are they going after the Xenos for no reason?'
"I think we need to bring this up with the Guild."
Bell reminded Loki-sama that the targeting of the Xenos likely had deeper reasons.
Loki was briefly silenced but forced herself to keep the conversation going.
"Let's set aside the Guild's part for now. What we need to focus on is how to deal with the current mess involving the Xenos."
"I think it comes down to how you and the Guild decide to handle it, Loki-sama."
"What do you mean?"
"Just like I said to her earlier, the ones hunting the Xenos have dealings with the Evilus. Loki-sama, do you remember what happened with Ishtar?"
At the mention of that slut, Loki's brow twitched, but she still followed the train of thought back to that incident.
Trafficking!
The word suddenly popped into her head.
"You're saying the Xenos are being targeted because there's actual profit involved? Are those bastards insane? If they need money so badly, why not just hunt monsters?"
"I think what they're after is the Xenos' unique nature—monstrous, yet humanoid. Xenos are anomalies among monsters. That uniqueness probably makes them highly marketable."
"Just because of that?"
Loki couldn't help but flare up at the words "unique" and "market."
She knew about the dragon girl—had seen her through Bell's eyes during the expedition. She understood that the Vouivre had a pure, innocent heart, like a newborn child.
Even if Genkai's children were wary of appearances, Loki couldn't see the Vouivre as a typical monster of the Dungeon. She was just a child.
And yet someone was targeting that child. Now, because of her so-called "uniqueness" and "market" value, they were buying and selling her.
Just hearing that was enough to make Loki burn with anger.
"I think that's the most straightforward reason."
Bell wasn't trying to provoke her—just stating the most logical conclusion.
"The Evilus can't completely sever ties with Orario. They still need materials and money to buy rare resources. Something like producing fire stones isn't cheap. If they tried to gather everything themselves, it would draw too much attention."
"That's why it's no surprise they'd try to take on work that brings in money."
Bang!
Loki slammed the table in fury.
"Work? I think those bastards have lost it completely."
Even Loki found the trafficking of Genkai's children utterly repugnant. What kind of scum would stoop so low?
Maybe the gods didn't truly love Genkai's children—maybe they were just seeking entertainment in them.
But even so, gods shouldn't sink to such vile methods just to amuse themselves.
And if there really were gods willing to do that, then Loki was certain—those bastards were nothing but trash.